Frequently Asked Questions

City Tax on Cell Phones
Recently we received a question from a constituent about
a city tax on cell phones. The City of Richmond Finance Department sent back a good explanation for all cell phone users.

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Leaf and Refuse Pickup
When is the city going to pick up my leaves? How about large items that won't fit in my supercan?  What if I can't bring my supercan to the curb?

  • The city offers a variety of refuse collection options -- from once-a-week supercan pick up to bulk item collection and loan-a-truck service. Read more on the city's web site.
  • You may qualify for backyard refuse collection.  Application (PDF)

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Residential Property Use and Maintenance
We're trying to upgrade our neighborhood.  The alley behind a few of the houses is a mess, and a couple of people are running businesses from their homes.  Does the city have any regulations about these problems?

The City Code addresses both of these issues:

Do you have a question that needs answering? Send it on and we'll post the answer here.

 

 

 

 

City Tax on Cell Phones

Dear Mrs. -----------:

I received your inquiry regarding taxes imposed on your cellular telephone and would like to respond. I'll begin with the legal aspects of the tax.

The Code of Virginia § 58.1-3812 authorizes a tax at a rate of 10% of the monthly gross charge up to $30 per month. In essence, consumers of mobile telephone services are required to pay taxes on the first $30 of their cell phone bill (this calculation approximates the calculation in your e-mail). For most consumers that amounts to $3 per month. The tax is imposed by nearly every locality in Virginia, not just Richmond. For example, Chesterfield and Henrico impose the tax at the same rate. Consequently, if you were a resident of either of those localities you would see the same tax on your monthly statement.

Now to address your question, Why do we need to tax the monthly wireless charges?

It's a public safety issue. To enable emergency call center operators to direct emergency responders directly to the point of an emergency a system had to be put in place that would provide a caller's location information to the 911 call center. Those systems cost millions of dollars. Several years ago the Commonwealth authorized an emergency tax (E-911 tax) that would assist in funding such an undertaking. Unfortunately, with cell phones there is a different challenge. The call is mobile and there is no address to use as a reference. Consequently, an alternative solution had to be developed. The system that was developed uses satellite technology to pinpoint your cell phone as soon as it is turned on. Thus, once your cell phone is turned on, your cell phone provider can determine your location whether you are using it or not. When an emergency call is placed, the 911 call center can pinpoint your location and direct emergency responders accordingly. This technology was recently used to solve a homicide case, as the authorities were able to determine that a murder suspect was in the vicinity of where the victim's body was found. They were able to track his movements using his cell phone, even though he did not use it at the time. Again, this technology is costly and localities have to pay for its use. This is the primary reason for your monthly cell phone tax.

Hopefully this answers your questions, however should you have any additional questions on any City of Richmond tax matter, please feel free to call me direct at 804-646-6452 and I will personally assist you.

Again, thank you.

L. Kevin Ervin
Department of Finance
Operations Manager